2026 Best Value Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in New York
[Foreign Languages & Linguistics](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 84 schools to find the best return on investment for foreign languages & linguistics students.
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2026 Best Value Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the foreign languages & linguistics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Foreign Languages & Linguistics Schools
Our analysis ranked Cuny Hunter College the best value for a degree in foreign languages & linguistics in New York. Cuny Hunter College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,382, while out-of-state students pay about $15,332. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates carry a median of $15,523 in student loans. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from Cuny Hunter College generally make around $29,237. That is a strong return on a $15,523 median debt. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
Cuny Lehman College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value foreign languages & linguistics schools. Located in the city of Bronx, Cuny Lehman College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,410 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,360. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates carry a median of $8,617 in student loans. Early-career foreign languages & linguistics graduates make about $35,941. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 57%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cuny Queens College earned it the #3 place for foreign languages & linguistics. Set in the city of Queens, Cuny Queens College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,538, with out-of-state students paying around $15,488. Typical student debt for foreign languages & linguistics graduates is $12,157. Early-career foreign languages & linguistics graduates make about $34,309. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Students looking for strong value in foreign languages & linguistics will find it at Suffolk County Community College, which ranked #4. Suffolk County Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Selden. In-state tuition and fees average $6,630, with out-of-state students paying around $12,460. Students borrow a median of $11,246 to complete the foreign languages & linguistics program here. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates of Suffolk County Community College earn a median of $35,667 early in their careers. Set against $11,246 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value foreign languages & linguistics schools. Located in the city of New York, Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,170 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,050. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates carry a median of $8,794 in student loans. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College generally make around $30,111. Set against $8,794 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Stony Brook University landed the #6 spot for foreign languages & linguistics value this year. Stony Brook University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Stony Brook. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,931, while out-of-state students pay about $32,741. Students borrow a median of $19,147 to complete the foreign languages & linguistics program here. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from Stony Brook University generally make around $32,534. That is a strong return on a $19,147 median debt. The acceptance rate is 49%.
State University Of New York At New Paltz ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value foreign languages & linguistics schools. Set in the town of New Paltz, State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,572 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,822. Students borrow a median of $16,000 to complete the foreign languages & linguistics program here. Early-career foreign languages & linguistics graduates make about $28,681. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Columbia University In The City Of New York placed #8 among the best values for foreign languages & linguistics. Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,517. Typical student debt for foreign languages & linguistics graduates is $20,250. Early-career foreign languages & linguistics graduates make about $54,327. Set against $20,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Suny At Albany came in at #9 for value in foreign languages & linguistics this year. Set in the city of Albany, Suny At Albany is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,601 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $30,991. Students borrow a median of $21,681 to complete the foreign languages & linguistics program here. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from Suny At Albany generally make around $30,810. That is a strong return on a $21,681 median debt. Suny At Albany admits about 69% of applicants.
University At Buffalo ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value foreign languages & linguistics schools. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. In-state tuition and fees average $10,936, while out-of-state students pay about $31,536. Typical student debt for foreign languages & linguistics graduates is $19,385. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $26,703. That is a strong return on a $19,385 median debt. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
Suny At Binghamton placed #11 among the best values for foreign languages & linguistics. Located in the suburb of Vestal, Suny At Binghamton is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,567, compared with $30,447 for out-of-state students. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates carry a median of $20,346 in student loans. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates of Suny At Binghamton earn a median of $30,606 early in their careers. Set against $20,346 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Suny At Binghamton admits about 39% of applicants.
Rochester Institute Of Technology placed #12 among the best values for foreign languages & linguistics. Rochester Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Rochester. Students from in state pay about $59,210 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,870 to complete the foreign languages & linguistics program here. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from Rochester Institute Of Technology generally make around $31,969. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 67% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Rochester ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value foreign languages & linguistics schools. University Of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Rochester. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,080. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates carry a median of $21,517 in student loans. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from University Of Rochester generally make around $60,865. That is a strong return on a $21,517 median debt. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
Cornell University came in at #14 for value in foreign languages & linguistics this year. Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Ithaca. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,314. Typical student debt for foreign languages & linguistics graduates is $15,500. Foreign Languages & Linguistics graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $33,419 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,500 median debt. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
New York University earned the #15 position for value in foreign languages & linguistics this year. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $62,796. Typical student debt for foreign languages & linguistics graduates is $21,897. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from New York University generally make around $42,500. That is a strong return on a $21,897 median debt. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.
Vassar College came in at #16 for value in foreign languages & linguistics this year. Set in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $71,030. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete the foreign languages & linguistics program here. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from Vassar College generally make around $28,999. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 19% of applicants are accepted.
Syracuse University placed #17 among the best values for foreign languages & linguistics. Set in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for foreign languages & linguistics graduates is $26,137. Soon after graduation, foreign languages & linguistics degree recipients from Syracuse University generally make around $39,825. That is a strong return on a $26,137 median debt. The acceptance rate is 46%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 84 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 15 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
